14 years have passed since the Western intervention in Afghanistan. During this time, the United States of America and its allies have invested billions of dollars in rebuilding the country, yet many in Western countries seem not to know some of the basic facts about Afghanistan’s geography, culture and people. Here are a few that you should learn before we reach the decade-and-a-half benchmark
The people of Afghanistan are “Afghans,” not “Afghanis.” Even though a quick trip to Wikipedia could clear this up, many are under the impression that we are called “Afghani.” This is not a simple mistake. It has real meaning to us, Afghans. In Iran, the term “Afghani” is used as a slur to describe refugees who have moved and settled there due to continuous war and conflict in our country. In addition, Afghani is the name of our currency. It is time to get it right.
Afghanistan is not located in the “Middle East.” The term itself is a complicated one as there is no consensus as to what exact region is called the “Middle East.” However Afghanistan is nowhere near most countries often described as Middle East: Iraq, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria, etc. The only country neighboring Afghanistan that could qualify as Middle East is Iran, but unlike Iran we don’t share borders with any of the Arab countries. Geographically, Afghanistan is close to Central and South Asia region.
We do not speak Arabic. We do not belly dance. We do not make hummus. Not all Eastern people are the same. The most widely spoken languages in Afghanistan are Persian and Pashtu, but we have dozens of languages- not including Arabic. We have a large variety of folkloric dances and songs. We eat Qabili Palaw. It is amazing. Check it out.
Afghanistan is not one giant desert. Again, we are mistaken for some of the Middle Eastern countries when people assume Afghanistan is a dry desert with nothing but rocks (which is not even true about Middle Eastern countries). In reality, Afghanistan’s climate is as diverse as its people. Most of the country has four seasons, with the temperature going down to 20 °F or colder and the summer getting as hot as 100 ° The weather differs depending on where one is based. For example, Nangarhar tends to stay relatively warm throughout the seasons, while Badakhshan has snow-covered mountaintops all year long. See some of the most beautiful photos of Afghanistan here.
Afghans do not hate each other. So much of Western media assumes that Afghanistan has always been a battlefield among different ethnic groups. However the people of Afghanistan have lived alongside each other peacefully despite vast differences and diversity for centuries in the past and a lot of the ethnic hatred can be credited to the abuse of ethnic and religious differences by colonizers to establish their power in the region. Even in modern day Afghanistan, Afghans have found ways to not only co-exist but create alliances that go beyond ethnicity and religion.